The first stop for Doug Weight was Children's Hospital in St. Louis, where
the Stanley Cup served as an amazing elixir in making patients feel better. (Mike Bolt/HHOF)

Doug Weight and his family were so anxious to greet the private plane carrying the Stanley Cup to St. Louis that they were standing on the tarmac at 2:15 on the afternoon of Thursday, August 17 when the plane landed. "Man, I was like a kid at Christmas," Doug admitted. "I could not sleep last night!"

It wasn't just excitement that forced sleep to elude Doug  the fact he signed over 500 autographed photos that night may very well have contributed to his weary state that day.

Having waited his entire life for the opportunity, Doug made the most of his time with the Stanley Cup. Leaving the airport, Doug and his wife Allison headed straight to Children's Hospital.

A brain tumor stole Doug's cousin from the family several years ago, so the high-flying forward understands the need for lifting spirits; something he has accomplished with great success with his Weight's World program, which allows children being treated for cancer, along with their families, the chance to attend St. Louis Blues' home games as his guests. From three until four o'clock that afternoon, Doug made the rounds, visiting children and leaving behind autographed photos. Doug obliged one dear little girl, hairless from her treatment, by signing her head. He offered another young girl an autographed photo, but she seemed perplexed. "Who's that," she asked. "That's me," Doug replied. The girl studied the photo of Doug taken during the playoffs, beard in full effect. She looked at the image on the sheet then looked up at the man in her room. "You look a lot better in person," she testified, cracking up Doug and Allison.

"Two burgers, all dressed, large fry, cup of joe and Cup of Stanl....wait a
minute! What the h-e-double hockey sticks is THAT thing doing in here?" Carl's Drive-In sees a lot of customers, but not many bring the Stanley Cup in for diners to see! (Mike Bolt/HHOF)

Weight was traded, along with Erkki Rajamaki, from the St. Louis Blues to Carolina on January 30, 2006, with Jesse Boulerice, Magnus Kahnberg, Mike Zigomanis and three draft picks going the other way. Allison and the three kids, Ryan, Danny and baby Addison, remained in St. Louis when Doug played for the Hurricanes, and often stopped in at Carl's Drive-In for hamburgers and french-fries, so it was only appropriate that the gang stop in at Carl's for a burger once again. Then, they drove over to the Brentwood Ice Arena, where 200 members of the St. Louis Rockets' organization were treated to a visit from Doug Weight and the Stanley Cup. Doug's six-year-old son Danny is a Rocket, and they thought it'd be a great opportunity to have each player get a photo with the Stanley Cup champion and the trophy he helped Carolina earn. At the end, an aerial shot was taken, with Doug, the Cup and each of the 200 members of the Rockets' hockey association smiling for the picture.

Thursday evening at six, the Cup arrived at Doug's house for a quiet evening. A professional photographer took family photos of the Weights surrounding the Stanley Cup. Then, the Cup was turned into a gigantic sundae dish, with gallons of ice cream, chocolate sauce, marshmallows, M&M's and chocolate chips decorating St. Louis's largest ice cream sundae. The kids dug into the treat and polished off most of it. After a good wash, the Stanley Cup's bowl was filled with popcorn, as the family sat down to relax with a movie. Afterwards, Doug and Allison traced the names of some of the players whose names already adorn the Cup. "There's C MacT," pointed out Doug, referring to Craig MacTavish, a former teammate in Edmonton who, as the current Oilers' coach, was an adversary this past spring.

Doug and Allison Weight treated the kids to the world's greatest sundae.
Imagine -- ice cream, M&M's and marshmallows all served in the world's most exclusive bowl. (Mike Bolt/HHOF)

It was time for bed, but this would be a special night for the family. "We're bringing the sleeping bags in and the baby crib," explained Doug. "We're literally all sleeping together in our bedroom with the Cup!"

The next morning beginning at 8, the parade of friends and family began to arrive from all across North America at the Weight's St. Louis home. Former teammates from Lake Superior State University mingled with neighbours, nieces and nephews. Sportscaster Joe Buck, Doug's next door neighbour, was one of several guests who arrived to enjoy the festivities. The kids ate Fruit Loops out of the Stanley Cup, then at 9:30, photographs were taken with the trophy in the Weight's backyard.

Just before lunch, the Cup was taken to O.B. Clark's, a local pub, where friends and family were able to enjoy an adult beverage out of the Cup's famous bowl. At 12:30, 60 family members and friends climbed aboard a double-decker bus decorated in Carolina Hurricanes' banners and a sign that read, 'The Weight is Over.' Among those on the bus were Joe Buck and his wife Ann, and Bill Guerin, who will play with Doug in St. Louis this season. Like everyone else on the bus, Guerin was offered a red Stanley Cup champion ballcap embroidered with 'The Weight is Over,' but politely declined. "Thanks, but no thanks, Doug," he said. "I'll wait until we win the Cup in St. Louis this year."

A sleepover is always fun but the bed got a little crowded when Doug and
Allison invited Ryan, Danny, Addison and Stanley to join them for the night. (Mike Bolt/HHOF)

The bus headed straight for the city's most recognizable landmark  the St. Louis Arch. Doug carried the Cup to the top of the stairs for pictures. Then, it was over to Busch Stadium, where baseball's Cardinals play their home games. The team was on the road playing the Chicago Cubs at the time, but Doug, a huge Cardinals' fan, had secured the stadium for his celebration. After drinks in the lounge, Doug took the Stanley Cup out onto the field. Cameras and cellphones snapped pictures of Doug standing on home plate cradling the Cup with 'Congratulations Doug Weight' on the ballpark's enormous scoreboards in the distance behind him. The group clapped heartily, but even moreso when Doug was handed a Cardinals' jersey with his name and number. He then filled the bowl of the Stanley Cup with baseballs for a few more shots.

At six o'clock, the double-decker bus took the entourage to an elaborate party at a local golf and country club. The room was beautifully decorated in red for the Carolina Hurricanes, and a life-size ice sculpture of the Stanley Cup served as a focal point as guests arrived at the party. Appropriately, the bar was serving Hurricanes, which were poured into the top of the ice sculpture and filtered through the ice into cups bearing the now familiar motto, 'The Weight Is Over.'

A Cup in the hand is worth two in the Busch. (Mike Bolt/HHOF)

Joining the Weights, their family and friends, were Carolina teammates Ray Whitney and Mike Commodore. A band from Chicago was playing disco-era dance music, and Doug wasn't shy about dancing with the Stanley Cup.

At midnight, the party moved from the country club to the incredible home of Joe Buck and his family. One of the guests shouted, "Hey Joe, must be nice to live in a joint like this." Buck laughed and teased, "Yeah, I work three hours a day and I don't even hafta get hurt like the athletes I cover!"

The party came to an end at four on Saturday morning when a chartered plane carrying the Stanley Cup and the next recipients, Whitney and Commodore, was scheduled to leave for Edmonton. Doug had waited for this day from the time he started playing hockey, and had enjoyed the celebration immensely. "My wife, Allison, did so much planning for this celebration," Doug said. "It was so worth it. It felt like I won (the Stanley Cup) all over again!"

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On Friday, we'll visit the Alberta capital and find out how both Ray Whitney and Mike Commodore celebrated their Stanley Cup victory.

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Kevin Shea is the Editor of Publications and On-Line Content for the Hockey Hall of Fame.